Dine & Grind Podcast

In this episode of Dine & Grind, four-time James Beard Award winner and host of Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern, sits down with Daniel to share the raw, untold story behind his rise. He opens up about his struggle with severe addiction and homelessness, and how he rebuilt his life from rock bottom to become the food icon he is today. In this episode, Andrew reflects on the moment everything changed, how service and sobriety reshaped his foundation, and why empathy became the core of his life and work.

00:00 From Comfort Food to Sneakers

03:21 Summer Job at Seafood Restaurant

07:38 Chef's Passion for Cooking

12:14 Global Cooking Journey to Success

17:18 Opportunity & Giving Back Wins

21:33 Day One of Service

25:20 Grace in Business Management

27:56 Overcoming Self-Focus Challenges

29:55 Building a Storytelling Career

38:24 Empathy and Happiness Explained

45:29 Spirituality Takes Daily Work

49:41 Kaiser Roll Egg Sandwich Staple

50:52 Snibbs Collab with Andrew Zimmern

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Dine & Grind, Daniel sits down with Don Fox, the CEO who helped transform Firehouse Subs from a small 65-store regional brand into a powerhouse with more than 1,200 locations nationwide. 

Don shares the unlikely story of how he entered the restaurant world, the moment he realized Firehouse had something truly special, and the leadership lessons that shaped the brand's explosive growth. He also breaks down the real economics behind franchising and reflects on mistakes learned along the way.

00:00 Don Fox: Industry Legend

04:46 Early Lessons of Hard Work

06:12 Proactive vs Reactive Workplace Mindset

10:15 From Music Dreams to Management

15:31 Musical Journey of Uncertainty

16:42 Embrace Passions, Adapt in Life

19:33 From Field Ops to R&D

24:51 Fast Food Industry Evolution

26:53 Early Franchise Leadership Experience

31:00 Optimizing Leadership and Systems

32:43 First Job: Manual Dishwashing

37:27 Learning Through Observation and Ambition

41:02 Work Ethic Learned by Example

43:43 From Music to Management

50:16 Passion, Paths, and Unexpected Joys

53:39 Operations to R&D Transition

57:38 Supporting First Responders' Impact

58:14 Rapid Fire Success Questions

In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with the multitalented Aisha Tyler —comedian, actor, director, and founder of an award-winning ready-to-drink cocktail brand Losophe.

Aisha shares how she went from working as a teenage dishwasher and bartender to becoming a Hollywood powerhouse and innovator in the craft cocktail and spirits industry. She opens up about the relentless drive, creativity, and joy that fuel her success across entertainment, hospitality, and brand building.

Listeners get an inside look at her journey from Dartmouth to Hollywood, including how her passion for food culture, bar programs, and hospitality inspired her to create an organic margarita that's shaking up the RTD cocktail market. She also delivers candid, behind-the-scenes stories—from setting bars on fire in college to embarking on global foodie pilgrimages to navigating the grind of growing a mission-driven beverage company.

Grab a drink and get ready for an episode loaded with laughter, lessons, and serious inspiration.

00:00 Aisha Tyler's Cocktail Journey

05:11 Hospitality with Heart and Humility

06:40 Bartenders: Purveyors of Joy

11:15 Transforming Communities with Green Spaces

18:45 Building a Bar at Home

24:17 Recipe for Heartfelt Success

26:34 Learning Business Through Experience

34:23 Confidence in the Product

37:19 Better Than DIY Cocktails

40:11 Simple Calendar-Based Workflow

43:17 Inbox Zero Efficiency Method

47:04 Balancing Growth and Passion

48:48 Epic Culinary Journey in Sweden

52:14 Margaritas and Boulevardiers

57:29 Passion, Hustle, and Vision

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

Welcome to Dine & Grind—the podcast where culinary creativity meets real-world entrepreneurship.

In this episode, host Daniel Shemtob sits down with trailblazing chef and innovator Chris Sayegh, the visionary behind The Herbal Chef and one of the earliest pioneers of plant-medicine-infused fine dining.

Sayegh shares how he fused Michelin-level techniques with cannabis and other plant medicines, transforming a once "gray-area" supper club into a global culinary brand. From sleeping in his car, overcoming family resistance, and battling the stigma around cannabis cuisine to landing features in international magazines, his story is a masterclass in grit, creativity, and entrepreneurial resilience.

Together, Daniel and Chris explore:

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — Dine & Grind with Chef Chris Sayegh

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes, chef interviews, and more stories at the intersection of food and entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Dine & Grind, host Daniel Shemtob chats with Chef Rashida Holmes—the force behind Bridgetown Roti and a three-time James Beard Award nominee—about carving her own lane in the culinary world.

From her Brooklyn-and-Barbados roots to building one of LA’s most celebrated Caribbean food brands, Rashida opens up about resilience, identity, and community. She shares how family flavors inspired her hospitality philosophy, what it took to launch a pop-up turned powerhouse, and how she’s reshaping LA’s restaurant scene.

Packed with culinary insights, cultural storytelling, and entrepreneurial wisdom, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about food, creativity, and building something from scratch.

02:20 – Rashida's Background and Upbringing on the East Coast

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or visit Dine & Grind for show notes and more inspiring chef interviews.

In this high-energy episode of Daniel Shemtob sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur Ellen Bennett — founder of the iconic apron and kitchen gear brand Hedley & Bennett, author, TV personality, and all-around culinary industry game-changer.

Ellen shares her incredible journey from her early days as a line cook in Los Angeles to building one of the most recognizable culinary lifestyle brands in the world. Learn how her English-Mexican roots, latchkey childhood, and unstoppable drive shaped her "figure it out" mindset — a philosophy that fuels both her business and creativity.

You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about:

The very first Hedley & Bennett aprons — and Ellen's no-discount, hustle-hard sales style

How she juggled multiple kitchen jobs to fund her startup dream

Game-changing moments like Martha Stewart Café spotting her designs and her first celebrity collab with Alton Brown

Lessons on scaling a business with integrity and learning from early mistakes

Why she went back to culinary school (and what Gen Z classmates are teaching her about innovation)

Plus, enjoy authentic banter on parenting, creativity, entrepreneurship, and the tools that power great kitchens — all wrapped up with laughter, grit, and actionable inspiration.

Whether you're a chef, restaurant founder, or creative entrepreneur, this episode delivers raw insight into what it really takes to succeed in the food industry.

00:00 – Opening & Biggest Mistakes

00:25 – Meet Ellen Bennett

02:18 – How They Met & Early Hustle

05:13 – Ellen's Childhood & Entrepreneurial Spirit

08:10 – Breaking Into the Culinary World

11:31 – The Apron Epiphany

13:29 – First Aprons & Hustling Multiple Jobs

16:04 – Selling Confidence, Not Just Aprons

17:27 – Lessons From Early Failures

18:47 – Making the Leap to Full-Time Entrepreneur

22:14 – Pinch Me Moments & Celebrity Collabs

27:33 – Rapid Growth & Hard Lessons

32:36 – Building Brand Love

37:58 – Pivoting & Keeping the Brand's Soul

42:35 – Juggling Family & Nonstop Hustle

45:17 – Productivity & Organization Secrets

48:03 – Lightning Round

51:08 – Closing Thoughts

👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or DineandGrindPodcast.com to catch Ellen Bennett and Daniel Shemtob's electric energy and real-talk on culinary entrepreneurship.

He went from sleeping in a warehouse to winning Top Chef and now he’s running some of LA’s hottest restaurants.

www.snibbs.co

www.danielshemtob.com

In the second episode of Dine & Grind, we sit down with Ike Shehadeh, founder of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, to unpack the wild journey behind one of America’s most creative sandwich empires. From turning leftovers into legendary sandwiches, Ike shares how following your passion and selling only what you love, can build a brand that lasts decades.

0:00 Daniel's first time Meeting Ike

3:00 Turning Childhood Experiement into Legendary Sandwiches 7:50 "Turkey sandwich is not your best sandwich" Ike's Rule for Make Sandwich Shop Unique

13:29 "It only matters what you want to sell" Ike's Secret Sauce for Starting a Successful Business

23:32 Ike's Lesson from his Early Failure and working for $20 27:59 Ike explains his life-changing “list”

39:09 How Ike stepped down as the CEO but still Kept the Culture Alive

Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dine-grind-episode-1-from-pantry-to-power-nancy-silvertons/id1845926969?i=1000731691313

Follow Me on Social Media! https://www.instagram.com/daniel.shemtob

Chef Nancy Silverton joins Dine and Grind to talk openings, closures, creative grit, the MozzaPlex in LA, and why her closet and personal style mirrors her kitchen.